Protective panel for a vehicle door

ABSTRACT

Protective panels for the windshields and windows of a vehicle are provided and comprise tough, bullet resisting transparent plastic panels and means for securing the panels to a vehicle. Such securing means include fabric straps or metal clips, secured to the transparent panel and engaging window trim means, the windshield guard strip, etc., of a vehicle. A protective panel can be secured by attaching means to the inside of side doors and other portions of the vehicle.

ilnited States Patent 1191 McDonald Dec. 24, 1974 PROTECTIVE PANEL FOR AVEHICLE DOOR [75] Inventor: Wilson C. McDonald, Phoenix, Ariz.

[73] Assignee: Goodyear Aerospace Corporation,

Akron, Ohio 22 Filed: Dec. 12, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 314,295

[52] U.S. Cl 89/36 H, 49/502, 109/495, 296/146 [51] Int. Cl. F4lh 5/00[58] Field of Search 296/146, 152, 153, 31 R, 296/31 P; 89/36 R, 36A, 36H; 109/495; 49/460, 502

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,438,185 3/1948 Prance296/31 P 2,600,296 6/1952 Jacobs .j 296/153 3,369,836 2/1968 Haycock cta1 296/78.l

FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,432,466 2/1966 France 89/36 H PrimaryExaminer David Schonbcrg Assistant ExaminerJohn A. Pckar Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Oldham & Oldhum [57] ABSTRACT Protective panels for theWindshields and windows of a 'VlllCl are provided and comprise tough,bullet resisting transparent plastic panels and means for securing thepanels to a vehicle. Such securing means include fabric straps or metalclips, secured to the transparent panel and engaging window trim means,the windshield guard strip, etc., of a vehicle. A protective panelcan'be securedby attaching means to the inside of side doors and otherportions of the vehicle.

1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures PROTECTIVE PANEL FOR A VEHICLE DOORBACKGROUND OF INVENTION While efforts have been made heretofore toprovide bullet resistant or bulletproof means for vehicles, much of suchprevious work has involved relatively heavy metal plates in or attachedto a vehicle. With reference to the windows and windshield of a vehicle,some previous efforts have been made to strengthen these portions of thevehicle and to protect its passengers. However, such constructions maybe attached permanently to the vehicle, or they may be of relativelycostly construction, or they may have been unsatisfactory in use, or beotherwise objectionable.

The general object of the present invention is to provide relativelylightweight, transparent plastic protective panels for vehiclescharacterized by the panels being adapted to be attached readily in aremovable manner to standard vehicles with minimum alterations thereinto provide bullet resistant means in window, windshield and other areasof avehicle.

Another object of the invention is'to provide transparent plasticpanels, which are bullet resistant, or substantially so, and which canbe readily bolted, clamped or attached to the inner surface of sidewindows or other portions of a vehicle; and/or to provide panels whichhave metal or other attaching straps suitably secured thereto andadapted to have removable engagement with doors or other portions of thevehicle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide relatively inexpensive,lightweight protective panels for use with vehicles, and to provideattaching clips and similar means for the panels whereby the panelscanbe removably attached to vehicle windows, Windshields and the like, butto permit disassembly of the protective panels and application toanother vehicle, as desired.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will bemade more apparent as the specification proceeds. l I

Attention now is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein: i

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle with a protective door panelof the invention attached to the side door thereof;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 1A1A of FIG.1.

FIG. 2 is an elevation of a windshield protective panel separate fromthe vehicle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 33 and indicating how thepanel of FIG. 2 can be secured to the vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a door having protective panels of theinvention attached to both the window area and lower portion of thedoor;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 4A-4A of FIG.4.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevation of a protective panel for a vehicle attached tothe inner surface of the windshield of the vehicle; 7

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 77 of FIG.

FIG. 7A is an enlarged cross sectional view of the clamp of FIG. 7.

therebetween.

Attention now is directed to the details of the construction shown inthe accompanying drawings, and a vehicle is indicated as a Whole by thenumeral 10. This vehicle 10 has a side door 12 thereon and a protectivepanel 14 is provided for the lower or base portion of the side door 12.The panel 14 is made from the tough, transparent, bullet resistingmaterial of the type such as is disclosed in copending patentapplication Ser. No. 116,287, filed Feb. 17, 1971. This material is analiphatic or alicyclic urethane characterized by a tensile strength ofat least 6,000 lbs. at rupture and a shore D hardness greater than 60but less than 100.

- has been mentioned, other equivalent materials can be The protectivepanels of the present invention are bullet resistant and transparent orvery lightly tinted in color. The invention provides various protectionlevels by increasing the thickness of the plastic protective sheetsused. About a 40 inch thickness of the plastic sheets of the-inventionprovide protection against most common hand guns, such as 22 caliber, 32caliber, 38

caliber and 45 caliber. Obviously the protective values can be increasedif thicker panels or sheets are used.

While one particular type of bullet resisting material used, but withpossibly slightly less efficient bullet resistant characteristics beingobtained. Hence, plexiglas, polycarbonates, or other less effectivematerials could be used to form the plastic panel or sheet 14 whichnormally is in the vicinity of about 40 to about 50 inches thick.

The panel 14 has a pair of metal brackets or strips 16 secured to theupper ends thereof as by cap screws 18 or'the like. These strips 16follow the contour of the door and each has an edge flange 22 directeddownwardly of the vehicle. Such flanges 22 are adapted to be receivedbetween the window 24 provided in the vehicle and sealing strip and/orthe inner frame mounting means or trim provided for the window, forexample, being positioned against the resilient sealing strip.providedon the inner surface of the vehicle door at the window opening. Hence,the panel 14 can be per-.

formed to proper contour, the strips 16 be attached thereto, and thenthe panel can be secured operatively in position, as indicated in FIG. 1for removable engagement with this side door 12. The window control armis removed prior to securing the panel 14 in position after which thecontrol arm is again operatively positioned. It should be noted that anopening 26 is provided in' the panel 14 and that an upwardly extendingcurved section 28 is formed in the panel and is adapted to extend uparound a conventional armrest 30 on the side door. Hence a protectivemember is provided over the entire lower part of the side door 12.

FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings show a protective panel 40 for use on theexternal surface of the windshield of the vehicle 10. Such panel 40includes two laterally spaced sections 42 and 44 hingedly secured together by members such as hinges 46 suitably secured to adjacent centeredge portions of the sections 42 and 44 whereby the panel can take aslight V-shape for closely corresponding to and following the contour ofthe vehicle Windshield. Lateral edge portions of the sections 42 and 44are each provided with a pair of vertically spaced positioning means orclip members indicated as a whole by the numeral 48. These. clip means48 include angles 50 which have holes therein through which cap screws52 extend to secure the panel to the clip means. Usually, some type ofcushioning means, such as a resilient pad 54 and a suitable attachinglayer 56 of adhesive is provided on the panels 42 and 44 on the innersurface thereof for attaching the cushion layer thereto. The angle 50also has an attaching arm or strip 58 secured to one leg thereof as by acap screw 60 or similar means. Thus, this arm or 'clip 58 can engage theedge of a conventional windshield mounting strip or member indicateddiagrammatically at 62 to facilitate mounting the member on the vehiclewindshield for temporary, but fixed attachment thereto.

Reference also is made to FIGS. 4 and and to an inner protective shieldor panel 70 removably attached to and covering the side door window 24.A panel 71 covers the side door and it is, in general, similar to thatpanel 14 shown in FIG. 1. Re the panel 70, a foot attaching clip orbracket 72 is shown attached to the lower edge of the panel 70 as by capscrews 74 of the like. Such clip 72 has a lower end received between theupper edge of the frame of the side door-.12 and the flexible sealingstrip at the window opening. A second positioning clip or strap 73 alsois secured to the panel 70 by the means 74 and it is contoured to engagethe top inner surface of the door, or any cover panel thereon.

The upper end of this panel 70 has a clip 76 secured thereto as by abolt or cap screw 78 of equivalent. The clip 76 is contoured to engagewith the upper end of the window 24 and to seat in the resilient sealingstrip 80 carried by the window trim strip 82 whereby again a removablebut fixed attachment means is providedfor the upper edge of the panel 70at a pair of spaced portions thereof whereby the panel 70 is fixedly,but removably, secured to the vehicle door on the inside surface of thewindow 24 for protective action against bullets or other missiles notagainst or impacting on the side door window.

The clip 76 normally is engaged with the panel 70 by slotted openings sothat the clip can be moved up in place as the window is closed.Naturally the panel is initially positioned when the window has beenopened and then the wing nuts, bolts and/or other fastening members canbe tightened to secure the plastic shield in place. All of the clipsused as made from thin gage metal and can seat in the rubber or othermoldings provided around the windows. 7

ln positioning the panel 70 when the door side window is lowered, itpermits the lower ends of the clip 72 to have or be'inserted into thewindow receiving slot while the outer clip 73 is positioned over theinner door surface. Then as the window is raised, the window aids insecuring the panel securely in position. These sheets or panels 70 asused normally do not fully occupy the window openings of the door butare slightly smaller than the door window to facilitate'assembly.

A modified panel 90 for attachment to the inner surface of avehiclewindow shield is indicated in FIGS. 6

and 7. Such panel preferably is divided into two laterally spacedsections 91 and 92 with a pair of attachment clips 94 being attached tothe upper edges of each of the sections 91 and 92 by any suitable meanssuch as screws. These clips 94 protrude vertically upwardly from thewindshield panel and can be secured, for example, to the upperwindshield molding 96 as indicated in FIG. 7 of the. drawings. Heads ofbolts are soldered, for example to anchor screws 98 that extend throughthe molding. The panel 91 is secured to the bolt by the nut 99.

The lower portions of these windshield sections 91 and 92 are positionedon the dash of the vehicle by metal strap clips 100 engaging suchsections. A clip extension 102 has a layer of cushioning material, assilicone sponge rubber, 104 extending thereover. Such cushionedextension is wedged in against the lower edge of the windshield. A flushbead rivet (not shown) may secure the parts of the clip 100 together inengagement with the protective panel.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the vehicle of .the invention wherein a typicalpartition membere is secured to the upper portion of the front seat backand extends to anad is secured to the roof of the vehicle. Then toattach protective panels of the invention thereto, one or two panels 112 are provided, contoured to the shape of the partition, and they aresecured to faces of the partition as by bolts 114 or equivalent meanswhereby one or two protective panels can be secured to this partitionfor protective action.

FIG. 10 of the drawings show yet another manner in which a singleplastic sheet or panel 100, that is con-- toured to follow the exteriorcontour of a windshield, can be readily attached thereto. Or, the sheet100 can be made in two parts hinged together as shown in FIG. 2.Normally this sheet 100 has some type of a suitable resilientpositioning strip 102 secured thereto around the margins thereof by theuse of any conventional adhesive.

The sheet 100 is engaged with the vehicle by a plurality of flexiblewebbed straps 106. These straps are suitably threaded through slots 108formed in vertically spaced portions of the lateral edges of the sheet100 and with the one end of the strap 106 being riveted or otherwisesecured at 101 in engagement with another portion of the strap. Thestrap continues to the inner surface of the front door post 110 of thevehicle and it can be positioned, for example, under sheet metal'orequivalent strips 1 16 that are engaged, as by cap screws 118 or thelike to the metal door post. This provides a removable connectionsecuring the sheet 100 effectively in operative position.

FIG. 11 shows an attaching clip 120 of generally Z- shape. Such clip issecured to a panel 122 for covering the rear window of a car. The panel122 is formed in one piece and is smaller than the window. The clips 120are positioned as by cap screws 124 that are used to secure the windowtrim strip 126 in position. Or modified cap screws like the screws 98 ofFIG. 7 can be used. The panel 122 can be screwed or bolted to aplurality of the clips 120 that engage spaced portions of the peripheryof the panel. The clips 120 are shaped to suitably engage the trim strip126.

Any suitable washers, etc. can be used on the cap screws or boltsattaching the panels to a vehicle.

The panels 42 and 44 of FIG. 2 can be made as one unit or panel, ifdesired.

Portions of FIGS. 1, 4 and 7 have been enlarged for clarity.

Obviously the attaching means shown in FIG. 7 as the screw 98 with thebolt 95 secured thereto can be used for any: panel attachment as isdesired.

The protective panels of the invention are readily attached to vehiclesto provide protection for occupants I of the vehicle and a minimum ofspecial members,

What is claimed is:

l. A protective panel for a-vehicle comprising a tough bullet resistingtransparent plastic sheet, means for removably securing said panel to avehicle, said sheet contoured to the inside contour of the lower portionof a door and having an upper edge curved towards the window at theupper portion of the door, metal plate attaching means secured to andextending up from such curved upper edge for securing the protectivepanel to the door, said sheet having an opening therein in which anarmrest on the door is received, the sheet having an upwardly andinwardly curved panel section extending over the inner surface of themajor portion of said armrest at said opening.

1. A protective panel for a vehicle comprising a tough bullet resistingtransparent plastic sheet, means for removably securing said panel to avehicle, said sheet contoured to the inside contour of the lower portionof a door and having an upper edge curved towards the window at theupper portion of the door, metal plate attaching means secured to andextending up from such curved upper edge for securing the protectivepanel to the door, said sheet having an opening therein in which anarmrest on the door is received, the sheet having an upwardly andinwardly curved panel section extending over the inner surface of themajor portion of said armrest at said Opening.